A/N I love reading all your reviews so keep them coming. I hope you enjoy this chapter; it's a lot more interesting than the last one. I can't wait for you guys to see Chapter 10 after this – Killian does the dickhead move double-time.

Chapter 9: The Execution

It took them fifteen minutes to reach their destination. Gold was either ignorant of Emma's presence or too angry to care. She hoped it was the former but her common sense knew it was the latter. As they came to a stop, ten metres from the town line, Emma exited her car. Gold had already started walking up to the boundary; she could just see a figure hidden by Gold's silhouette. As she reached the spot next to him, Emma took in the situation.

She scanned the scene before her, silently wishing she had stayed in the office. Gold was beside her and she could feel the angry power radiating from him. Leaning against a tree just a foot from the orange marked boundary was Hook and the arrogant smile held more contempt than Emma had ever seen – a striking contradiction to his usual swagger.

In his arms, Hook held Belle. She was unconscious, leaning against Hook's chest as he pressed his appendage daintily to her neck. Emma glared at Hook.

"I didn't bring you here so you could hurt innocent people," Emma said, her voice holding all the raw anger she currently felt. Gold turned to Emma, his anger slightly more manic now as he stared the sheriff down.

"You brought him here?" Gold asked, each syllable dipped in ice. The accusation in his eyes didn't scare Emma though; it had long ago lost that effect.

"I brought him here because Cora was going to kill him if I didn't," Emma defended her actions, never letting her gaze drop from where Hook was lazily holding Belle. Gold's eyes seemed to widen and he laughed, the hysterical gurgling of a psycho.

"Miss Swan, that was very unintelligent on your part but I'll deal with you later." His promise of redemption would have scared Emma, if it weren't for the fact that he was smiling like a man who deserved to be in a strait jacket. Hook perked up, realising that Gold was ending the spiel with Emma. He turned to look at the pirate, who shifted Belle as if to remind Gold of his current leverage.

"As I understand it, this woman loves you. I haven't a clue why but all that matters is you care about her…" Hook trailed off, inching closer to the boundary.

"Leave Belle out of this, Hook," Gold commanded, glaring at the pirate.

"But she has everything to do with this," Hook replied matter-of-factly, as Belle's eyelids started to flutter. Emma stared at him; the comrade she'd fought with in the Enchanted Forest had temporarily disappeared. Hook's eyes ghosted over Emma as Belle woke up, and then trained his eyes squarely on the furious man before him.

Belle, realising where she was, tried to move but gasped when she felt the sharp tip of Hook's namesake at her throat.

"Rumpel?" Belle whimpered, looking at him and then the blonde.

"Let her go, Hook. She's never done anything to you."

Hook refused to look at Emma, watching as the emotion washed over Gold's face.

"As I was saying, she is the centre of this. But I wonder if she'll still care for you when she knows the truth?" Hook asked cruelly. Gold's eyes were squarely rested on Hook's and a sliver of fear seemed to pass through them. Hook smiled as Belle piped up.

"What? What does he mean? Rumpel?" Belle asked, she was confused and scared and it was doing things to Gold that Emma thought never could be done.

"What do you want, Hook?" Gold asked, almost pleading. Emma looked between the two men as Hook's sly grin sparkled in the fading light.

"I want you to tell her the truth. Tell her why I'm so desperate to destroy you. Tell her and we'll see if she still cares." Gold seemed to shrink under the pressure. He looked at Belle, struggling to remain calm under the stress of the situation.

"The man holding you… he took my wife, Bae's mother. So, I took his hand." Gold's words were curt and Hook laughed, the kind of sound monsters made. Emma watched, helpless, at the men's exchange.

"Don't shorten it. Recount for her the real story. Tell her how Milah left you, how she begged to sail away with my crew and I. Tell her how, when you found out she was in love with me and that she left of her own free will, you took her heart. More importantly, tell her how you reduced her heart to dust right before my eyes! And then, despite having taken the most important thing from me, tell her how you took my hand! Tell her!" Hook's voice steadily rose as he went about the explanation, conviction reverberating from every word he spoke. Gold flinched, watching as Belle's face contorted into one of sadness and confusion.

Belle looked back up to Gold, shaking her head, "Is it true?"

The whole world seemed to pause as Emma watched Gold nod. Belle exhaled deeply, and Hook's previous expression of angst and torment vanished into one of cruel satisfaction. Lowering his lips to her ear, he breathed, "Do you still care for the beast?"

Belle stopped and looked up at Gold again, whose features were no longer one of anger and pure hatred. Instead, Gold's eyes were pained, almost resigned. He himself knew no one could love someone, let alone care for them, after all he'd done. But wasn't that why he'd done it? So he would never have a weakness like this?

"Yes. I still see the good in him… even if you don't." Belle's words hung in the air for a moment and even Emma, a third party observer, was shocked. Hearing this, she had a new appreciation for Hook's loathing and thirst for vengeance. She didn't agree with his methods but his purpose and motivation made sense. In his pained face she had seen something that startled her – a reflection of her own feelings. The face that showed lost love.

Gold's stance strengthened, the belittled man gone in an instant. It was as if Belle's faith in him had replenished his powers. Once again, Emma felt the tendrils of dark magic emanating from his figure. Hook shook his head and his eyes widened in mock surprise.

"Well then, I guess she really does see past that cowardly exterior." he shifted Belle again but maintained his hook at her throat. Gold growled and Emma stepped forward, trying to place herself between the pair.

"Listen Hook, you failed. She still loves him and you're not going to kill her so let her go and Gold might let you get out of this alive," Emma said, trying to catch Hook's eye. Gold scoffed behind her. Hook's gaze deepened as it met Emma's.

"What makes you think I want to get out of this alive?"

She didn't shy away from his stare, maintaining it as she replied.

"Because you haven't done anything irreversible."

"Yet," Hook corrected Emma and moved his sight back to Gold, "If I can't make her see how much of monster you are… I'll make her forget you completely." With those words out, Hook tossed Belle towards the town line. Belle screamed, desperately trying to cling to Hook as she stumbled backwards.

Emma ran forward in a hopeless attempt to catch her, surprised when Gold didn't move. Just before she could step over the line, Belle was stopped by a seemingly invisible force. Emma reached the panting woman and pulled her away from the orange chalk line, standing protectively between her and the pirate. Looking behind her, Emma noticed a magical extension of purple-ish smoke running from Gold's hand to Belle. It must have stopped her from falling over the boundary, Emma thought. Belle ran to Gold, embracing him as she sobbed.

Hook, who had watched the whole thing without blinking, stepped forward. Emma glared at him, furious with what he'd done. From behind her, Gold suddenly pushed Belle behind him and raised his hand. A ball of black smoke erupted out of the seemingly harmless space between his fingers.

"You will regret that," Gold said, accent thick with the promise of wrath.

Hook spread his arms wide and spoke with a dark humour, "Go ahead. At least I'll be with her."

Emma watched as the wiry man prepared himself to throw the black of ball of death at Hook. Belle grasped Gold's arm and whispered something in his ear as Emma moved to shield Hook.

"Go home, Gold. I'll deal with Hook," Emma said, pointing to the car parked in front of her own. The black ball diminished, although she assumed it was more to do with what Belle said than what she did. As the two got into the car and sped off, Emma rounded on Hook.

He never even saw her fist coming until it connected with his jaw. Hook stumbled and fell down, clutching his reddening jowl. The leather-clad pirate was quick to gather himself, pulling his body up and staring down at the unwavering blonde.

"Why didn't you let him kill me?" Hook screamed, his voice almost frantic with forcefulness. Emma didn't flinch.

"Because that would be a coward's way out," Emma replied furiously, her fists clenched by her side.

"Then what do you suggest I do now? I have nothing but my revenge; I've been planning this confrontation for three-hundred sodding years, Emma!" Hook yelled, motioning all around him as if to exaggerate his lack of options.

"You move the hell on! You listen to your humanity for one goddamn minute and stop acting like you don't feel!" Emma said, staring unflinching into the pale blue storm that was his eyes.

"I can't move on! I don't have humanity, Emma! I can't feel anything but hate!"

"Yes you can. It's why you've tried so hard. You feel so much, so deeply that it overwhelms you. It smothers you until you can't breathe. So you push it all back and act like nothing affects you but it does. It does to the point of physical pain."

Hook paused for the slightest second, unable to help the way her eyes looked as she said it. Rage bubbled up inside him like molten lava as he realised how hard the words hit him, how close they struck to his core. Without warning, Hook shoved Emma – hard. She fell to the ground, palms grazing as she caught herself and stood up again.

"Shut up! Just shut up!"

"No! Because you need to stop being so caught up in your own miserable little world! You aren't the only one who has ever felt pain and loss and grief!" The words slipped out harsher than intended and had a radical effect. With all the acidity he could muster, Hook practically spat the words as he screamed.

"You have no idea what it's like! He tore her away from me, she was the only thing that had ever kept me grounded and he ripped her away! You haven't a bloody clue!"

"At least it wasn't her choice!" Emma suddenly screamed, her voice breaking on the last word. Hot tears welled in Emma's eyes and she turned, unwilling to let him see her so fragile. Hook stopped, watching as she turned around and crossed her arms across her chest. Her breathing was suddenly ragged and he realised the meaning behind her words.

Emma started walking away but turned around after only a metre.

"You know what, Hook? I don't care anymore. I'm done."

Emma returned to her car and sped off down the road, the hot salty tears spilling as soon as she hit the main street. At least you didn't let him see you cry, Emma consoled herself half-heartedly.

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As he watched her leave, Hook growled and turned on his heel, striding purposefully down the dark street after her. He wasn't chasing her, he just had no other direction but back to Storybrooke.

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Stupid meddling wench! Hook cursed, marching down the dark road. It was getting late and the sun had already set. After having watched the crocodile for two days straight, he had executed the plan. Leaving a note for Rumplestiltskin on the counter of his beloved shop while he was visiting Belle, Hook had waited nonchalantly outside the library. As soon as the crocodile had exited, Hook had entered. After subduing the lovely brunette, Hook had taken her too the boundary to wait.

He had expected to tell the girl the truth and when she either hated him or loved him, he would throw her over the line depending on which she chose to embody. He had expected to hurt the crocodile or die trying. Neither of which he accomplished.

Hook had not thought, for one iota of a second, that the Swan girl might pick up on his plan. When she had stepped out of the car, he was shocked. And now, his carefully laid out strategies were in ruins because of her. Not only that, but to add insult to injury she had gotten to him. She'd seen right through all the anger and fury right down to the core of him, and that killed him inside.

I'm sorry Milah, a deep part inside of him sobbed, I'm sorry. Hook continued to walk until he reached the clock tower where he had been residing. There were only so many places a pirate could utilise to spy on a crocodile.

Walking the steps, Hook's thoughts suddenly focused. The swan girl, it's her fault. Hook entered his makeshift den to find all of his possessions gone with a note pasted to the floor. The message was simple and in elegant script:

Since you will not be attempting to harm us anymore, you will not be needing this dwelling. I have thus forth removed your possessions so you aren't tempted.

And if you ever set eyes on my Belle again, I will take your other hand and kill you with it.

Hook didn't need a signature to know who it was from. And yet, his anger was still focused on the saviour. If she had fulfilled her part of the deal, they might have killed him. It was the reason he made it – the second he laid eyes on her he knew she was a fighter. His respect had only grown at the reveal of her defiance. Even when he slapped her that day it had been because he knew she challenged him and it so viciously reminded him of Milah. Tonight though, tonight he'd seen in her something that hurt him more than anything. He'd seen his reflection for a split second as she reminded him that Milah hadn't chosen to leave.

Hook suddenly smashed his fist into the wall. His knuckles felt numb but when he brought them up for inspection, he noticed blood was now leaking from the cuts. He was angry at Emma for so many things and yet at the same time he empathised with her. This world had left her broken; it was why she was so difficult to manoeuvre. It was the core to her trust issues, the reason she wouldn't let anyone behind her walls.

Walking back onto the street, Hook found himself heading for the woods. With nowhere to go, he was simply roaming. It was an hour later that Hook stopped to sit down.

He had nowhere to go and nothing to live for.

What did you guys think of their heart-to-heart/fight?